Read the Beforeitsnews.com story here. Advertise at Before It's News here.
Profile image
By Through the Fence Baseball
Contributor profile | More stories
Story Views
Now:
Last hour:
Last 24 hours:
Total:

Could the Rays’ new stadium proposal represent another unkept promise?

% of readers think this story is Fact. Add your two cents.


ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – This is all about promises not kept and the credibility of new promises.

Given the current conversation centering around a new stadium for the Tampa Bay Rays, this protracted discussion has been years in the making.

The latest chapter could be defined this week. On Thursday, the St. Petersburgh City Council will hold its first workshop on a proposed $6 billion project on 65 acres in the Gas Plant district. A proposed new stadium for the Rays, at a cost of $1.2 billion, lies at the heart of the project. The surrounding area would house an African American history museum, affordable housing, and hundreds of permanent jobs.

Based on conversations within the city council, the proposal could go to the Pinellas County Commissioners for their approval. A date has not been established for the Commissioners to consider the new stadium.

The hour is urgent.

The Rays’ current lease at Tropicana Field expires at the end of the 2027 season and given a time window of about three years to build a new stadium, sands are quickly shifting through the hourglass. In all, the project would be developed over a 30-year period, but there is a great sense of urgency surrounding the stadium proposal.

Therein lies a principal concern. Because the project is considered at the municipal level, there is no incentive or drive to place a referendum before voters. Residents of the area fear their voice will not be heard in 2024 as their collective voice was not heard several decades ago.

“I see it as a real opportunity to uplift the entire city,” said Ken Welch, St. Petersburg mayor. “This isn’t just a stadium. This is a stadium surrounded by the largest development in the state of Florida, if not the nation.”

The Gas Plant district is indigenous to the social, economic, and cultural fabric of St. Petersburg. Developed between 1890 and 1900, the area became a thriving African American community and a center of community pride and esteem. In addition to business and social venues, the first school for black students was established in 1910 and the Gas Plant area rivaled the great black communities in America, including Beale Street in Memphis, Black Wall Street in Tulsa, and Harlem in New York City.

By the final decades of the 20th century, community leaders sought to develop and renovate the area. The prospect of luring a major league baseball team became attractive. An effort commenced to build a stadium and attract such a team. At the same time, the prospect of a team calling the Gas Plant home would be a catalyst for development, innovation, and improvement.

Perhaps the story predates the Rays and centers around the original construction of the facility. Tropicana Field opened on March 3, 1990, at a cost of $130 million. At the time, the structure was built within the Gas Plant section and represented one of two defining moments in abandoning the original intention of development.

First, the area was altered with the construction of Interstate 275, and second, the construction of the new stadium. In both cases, there was no referendum for voters to consider, and promises made by municipal authorities to develop and renovate the area were never realized.

With promises unkept, residents feel, decades later, they have been dropped into the same abyss.

Should a referendum be placed before voters, the outcome could be less than desirable for supporters of the stadium construction, including Rays’ owner Stuart Sternberg. Yet, recent history may be indicating how voters feel about public support of sports ventures.

In May 2023, voters in Tempe, Arizona rejected a proposal to help fund a $2.1 billion arena for the NHL Arizona Coyotes. As with recent developments, this would be mixed-use with retail shops, restaurants, housing and the Coyotes promised to clear a municipal waste site on their dime.

Then, last month, voters of Jackson County, Missouri rejected a sale tax that would help renovate the Chiefs’ Arrowhead Stadium and assist in funding for a new Kansas City Royals’ baseball stadium.

It seems once the Rays moved into Tropicana Field, as a 1998 expansion team, the facility was in need of upgrades as well as municipal and social responsibility. Fast forward to the present conversation and little has changed. While city council members, especially Gina Driscoll, have expressed concerns, discussions in council chambers could reveal which direction the council will turn.

The significant concern of residents on the issue of a referendum, at this point, is not on the council agenda.

On the diamond … after winning five of seven on their recent trip, the Rays return to Tropicana Field for a nine-game home stand against the Red Sox, Royals, and A’s. Boston opens the home stand with three-night games. On Monday, righthander Rays’ Taj Bradley (1-1, 2.45) opposes righthander Tanner Houck (3-5, 2.17). In gaining a 4-3 decision over the Red Sox at Fenway Park on May 15, he went five innings, allowed four hits, walked one and struck out six batters.

The post Could the Rays’ new stadium proposal represent another unkept promise? first appeared on Through The Fence Baseball.


Source: https://throughthefencebaseball.com/could-the-rays-new-stadium-proposal-represent-another-unkept-promise/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=could-the-rays-new-stadium-proposal-represent-another-unkept-promise


Before It’s News® is a community of individuals who report on what’s going on around them, from all around the world.

Anyone can join.
Anyone can contribute.
Anyone can become informed about their world.

"United We Stand" Click Here To Create Your Personal Citizen Journalist Account Today, Be Sure To Invite Your Friends.

Humic & Fulvic Liquid Trace Mineral Complex

HerbAnomic’s Humic and Fulvic Liquid Trace Mineral Complex is a revolutionary New Humic and Fulvic Acid Complex designed to support your body at the cellular level. Our product has been thoroughly tested by an ISO/IEC Certified Lab for toxins and Heavy metals as well as for trace mineral content. We KNOW we have NO lead, arsenic, mercury, aluminum etc. in our Formula. This Humic & Fulvic Liquid Trace Mineral complex has high trace levels of naturally occurring Humic and Fulvic Acids as well as high trace levels of Zinc, Iron, Magnesium, Molybdenum, Potassium and more. There is a wide range of up to 70 trace minerals which occur naturally in our Complex at varying levels. We Choose to list the 8 substances which occur in higher trace levels on our supplement panel. We don’t claim a high number of minerals as other Humic and Fulvic Supplements do and leave you to guess which elements you’ll be getting. Order Your Humic Fulvic for Your Family by Clicking on this Link , or the Banner Below.



Our Formula is an exceptional value compared to other Humic Fulvic Minerals because...


It’s OXYGENATED

It Always Tests at 9.5+ pH

Preservative and Chemical Free

Allergen Free

Comes From a Pure, Unpolluted, Organic Source

Is an Excellent Source for Trace Minerals

Is From Whole, Prehisoric Plant Based Origin Material With Ionic Minerals and Constituents

Highly Conductive/Full of Extra Electrons

Is a Full Spectrum Complex


Our Humic and Fulvic Liquid Trace Mineral Complex has Minerals, Amino Acids, Poly Electrolytes, Phytochemicals, Polyphenols, Bioflavonoids and Trace Vitamins included with the Humic and Fulvic Acid. Our Source material is high in these constituents, where other manufacturers use inferior materials.


Try Our Humic and Fulvic Liquid Trace Mineral Complex today. Order Yours Today by Following This Link.

Report abuse

Comments

Your Comments
Question   Razz  Sad   Evil  Exclaim  Smile  Redface  Biggrin  Surprised  Eek   Confused   Cool  LOL   Mad   Twisted  Rolleyes   Wink  Idea  Arrow  Neutral  Cry   Mr. Green

MOST RECENT
Load more ...

SignUp

Login

Newsletter

Email this story
Email this story

If you really want to ban this commenter, please write down the reason:

If you really want to disable all recommended stories, click on OK button. After that, you will be redirect to your options page.